Medical education behind global standards, say students

Though India has progressed in other areas, medical education has failed to keep pace with global standards, an organisation of medical students Friday said.

The Medical Students Association of India (MSAI) sought participation in the decision-making process of the government in areas concerning medical education.

MSAI is organising an international seminar with participants from Nepal, Bangladesh, Malaysia and the US next week to deliberate on much required reforms in medical education system of the country.

"This is for the first time medical students are coming together with other stakeholders to discuss what and how they should be taught so they are at par with their global peers," MSAI executive president Pratap A. Naidu said here.

Indian Medical Association (IMA) general secretary Narendra Saini said: "Some of the skills that need to be incorporated into medical education include communication skills, clinical skills, information system and data management."

"There is a dire need for medical students to be formally trained into these if we are to produce better doctors. Besides, the norms for opening new medical colleges like minimum land area, etc. should be relaxed," he said.

IMA, the representative body of doctors across the country, also questioned the practicality of the government's decision to make one year rural posting compulsory.